


Because stark men don't cry

by Sibart



Series: stark men and tears [2]
Category: Iron Man (Comics), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Tales of Suspense, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Aquaphobia, Arc Reactor, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, Howard Stark's A+ Parenting, Hurt Tony Stark, Hurt/Comfort, Kid Peter Parker, M/M, Parent Tony Stark, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Precious Peter Parker, Protective Steve Rogers, Protective Tony Stark, Steve Rogers Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Steve Rogers Needs a Hug, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Has Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, peter has all the avengers merch, tony is the little spoon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-01
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-13 20:42:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,610
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29781819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sibart/pseuds/Sibart
Summary: He doesn't think things through when Steve is in dangerorTony will chose to save Steve every time, whatever the consequences. Steve isn't too thrilled about that.
Relationships: Peter Parker & Tony Stark, Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Series: stark men and tears [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2188983
Comments: 1
Kudos: 91





	Because stark men don't cry

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [why wouldn't stark men cry](https://archiveofourown.org/works/29653389) by [Sibart](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sibart/pseuds/Sibart). 



> this is Why wouldn't Stark Men Cry but from Tony's POV  
> tell me if you'd like to have Steve's to come full circle ?

It wasn't a concious decision, not really. He saw the giant alien move behind Steve and the armor was diving in before he really thought about it. Tony collided with the alien's armor at a speed he didn't want to think about, shoulder first in the thing's flank. He saw a flash of Steve's face before they crashed into the bridge's fence.

The alien started falling in the Hudson and grabbed Tony's boot. The boosters flared against the alien's face. He roared and clenched the boot, his other arm coming up to Tony's chest (not the chest not the chest). They hit the water and the thing let go of Tony on impact. 

Water was sipping inside the suit, from the leg the alien had destroyed, and all the little gaps Tony hadn't thought to render waterproof. Water was awfully close to the arc reactor, JARVIS told him. 

The AI's voice was distant behind the panic in Tony's chest. His vision blurred, he heard voices and languages that he hadn't heard since… since… they were going to drown him, or electrocute him before the sharpnel got to his heart. The car battery next to him sparkled, and something pulled him out of the water.

Thor put him down and in an instant Tony was throwing up the disgusting water. He was still coughing when Steve jogged to them, shield and uniform covered by alien blood and dust. He squatted down next to Tony, rubbed circles on his back until he could breath normally again.

"Thor, go help Black widow with the cleaning team, and tell the medics to stay. Tony needs a check-up," the captain said.

Tony lowered himself to the ground. (you're in america, New York, you're fine you're fine you're not in the cave) Steve was pissed, if his tone of voice was anything to go by (must be the alien blood on his new uniform ). 

"I'm fine," he managed through gritted teeth. 

The glare Steve sent him made him give in and he let the captain lead him to the ambulance.

… 

Tony tucked Peter in bed after telling him a pg-13 version of the battle and started towards the kitchen. The debriefing had dragged on to the evening and Pepper had had to pick the kid from school. Tony didn't like it, at all. He knew what it was like to have a father who liked his job more than his offspring.

He collapsed on a chair. He hadn't even had time to shower and the undersuit's legs hadn't dried up yet (thank god for the auto-cleaning fabric or he'd be reeking). 

Steve entered the room and filled it with the scent of shampoo and soap. 

"Put your suit in the workshop I'll take care of it tomorrow." 

Steve completely ignored me and made for a bee line to the sink. He took out a glass and filled it up with water. Tony couldn't shake the feeling that this day wasn't going to end well, as he expected when the doctor told him, oh surprise, that he was fine and good to go.

Tony got up and planted a kiss between Steve's shoulder blades.

"Don't worry, the suit will be like brand new by lunch."

"I don't care about the suit !"

Tony took a step back, taken aback by the sudden change of ton. Steve noticed too, because he paused and took a deep, shaky breath.

"You were under the water for 8 minutes before Thor could get you out. You could have-" He stopped himself then, a hand coming up to his mouth.

"But I'm fine, nothing happened, it's fine-"

"It's not fine! You keep doing this. You dive in without thinking and you put yourself in danger over and over again!"

"What, I should have let E.T. smash you with a 2 tons hammer ?"

His own voice and his frustration were raising. Sure, he hadn't exactly thought before smashing in the alien, but however he looked at the situation, there wasn't a lot of different outcomes. Steve got hurt, or he did, and there wasn't one universe where he would let Steve get hurt.

"It was reckless and dangerous! We talked about it, you can't do this !"

"Oh and what Captain righteous would have done? Please enlighten me because it was that or letting you get kill-"

"YOU COULD HAVE DIED!"

Tony shut his mouth, the only answer coming to him being "better me than you". But he couldn't say that to his captain, let alone to his husband. 

"You can't do this to Peter... to me."

He clenched the counter, Steve's knuckles turning white with strain. Tony stepped back until his legs hit a chair. 

"I need space," Steve said, their bedroom door slamming behind him before Tony could register his words. 

He collapsed on the chair. Tears started rolling along his cheeks. 

"Fuck."

It felt like everything was falling apart. Like one wrong move would send his somewhat normal life into oblivion (stop being dramatic, Stark, come on. Stark men don't cry, right?). He couldn't tell how long he stayed like this, trying to contain tears and shivers that didn't care about what he wanted. He couldn't have Steve see him like this, could he? 

"Are you okay, Dad?" a small voice cut through the silence. 

Tony jumped, not expecting anyone to walk on him like this, especially not his son. He tried to wipe the tears away, but they didn't stop.

"Peter? Why aren't you in bed?" he asked, throat tight and too dry.

Peter's blond hair appeared next to him, the boy drowning in a too big Black Widow sweater, a crease of worry between his young eyes (you put it there, you idiot.) 

"You okay?" 

(Great, you upset him, it's your fault he's sad, you woke him up, what a great dad you are.)

"Yeah, sorry, I'm fine. Sorry." 

Those damn tears wouldn't stop. Peter's hand, covered by the long black sleeves, came on Tony's knee. He looked up to him, his big brown eyes behind blond curls.

"You said it was okay to cry ?"

The small voice was more curious than mad, to Tony's surprise. 

"Come here."

He grabbed Peter and lifted him on his lap. He pushed the curls aside. What he did to get such a good kid, he didn't know. He didn't know either how he didn't fuck it up yet. He took a deep breath, putting his thoughts in order, and trying to ignore his wet cheeks.

"It's okay to cry, honey. If you need it or if you feel like it..." (the hypocrisy is huge here.) He pushed the thought aside. "My father had outdated views on a lot of things and he didn't think crying was an okay thing to do. And I just..." (internalised it, because no one can know how fucked up you are, or they'll sell it to people magazines or use it against you and you'll have to admit that Howard was right.) "I started to believe him."

"Why did he think that?"

(Because he was a biggoted assholes, whose entire life was a dick measuring contest.)

"I don't know. He thought it was a girl thong and he didn't think girls were as good as boys," (despite the hundreds of times Peggy proved him wrong.) "or something like that."

"Well he seems kinda dumb."

Tony couldn't help but laugh. He would never be thankful enough for the fact that Peter will never have to meet Howard.

"Yeah, he was, for important stuff."

Peter nodded and loweres his head on Tony's shoulder. His breathing was evening, his eyes fought to stay open.

"Let's get you back to bed, okay?"

Tony felt Peter nod in the crook of his neck, curls brushing against his bird and getting stuck.

"Can I have water first ?"

...

He pulled up the covers to Peter's shoulders for the second time today and made sure that mister Hulk was right next to him. 

"You good?"

Peter nodded against the pillow. Tony bent to plent a kiss on the top of his curls. He started to get up when Peter's little hand grabbed the undersuit's sleeve, just enough for Tony to feel it.

"Dad?"

"Yeah ?"

"Are you mad at Pa ?"

Tony sat down on the bed. He poundered his answer.

"No," he sighted, feeling somewhat relieved to find that it was the truth. He couldn't be. "Your Pa was in a tight spot this afternoon, " this part hadn't made in the pg-13 retelling of the afternoon, "and I got scared and did something a bit dumb."

"Natasha says it's good to be scared. 'Keeps you alive', she said."

"She's right, but being scared for someone else makes me a bit reckless." (a lot, even.) "And I gave Steve quite a scare." He stroke Peter's cheek, the boy was already drifting to sleep. "I'm sorry you heard that," he whispered.

Peter's head moved, in what looked like a nod. Tony got up and left, closing the door silently.

...

After a long shower, he put the undersuit and Steve's suit in the workshop, and told JARVIS to remind him to take care of it.

He slipped inside their bedroom, Steve already in bed, back to the door. He wasn't sleeping, Tony could tell, his breathing was too regular and controlled. 

"Hey," Tony said as he lied down beside his husband.

It took a few seconds before Steve turned to face him. Even in the darkness Tony could see his puffy eyes and red cheeks. 

"I'm sorry I scared you," he whispered.

Steve's hand found Tony's and squeezed.

"I'm sorry I yelled."

Tony squeezed back and snuggled against husband.


End file.
